Divesting them for bed; and then, but now, Oth. How comes it, Michael, you are thus forgot?1 The world hath noted, and your name is great And spend your rich opinion,2 for the name While I spare speech, (which something now offends me) Of all that I do know: nor know I aught When violence assails us. Oth. Now, by Heaven, My blood begins my safer guides to rule; Or do but lift this arm, the best of you Shall sink in my rebuke. Give me to know How this foul rout began, who set it on; And he that is approved 5 in this offence, Though he had twinned with me, both at a birth, 4 Collied is blackened, as with smut or coal; and, figuratively, means here obscured, darkened. 5 Convicted by proof. Yet wild, the people's hearts brimful of fear, 1 Mon. If partially affined, or leagued in office, Iago. Touch me not so near. I had rather have this tongue cut from my mouth, There comes a fellow, crying out for help; Lest, by his clamor, (as it so fell out,) The town might fall in fright. He, swift of foot, More of this matter can I not report ; But men are men; the best sometimes forget.- From him that fled, some strange indignity, 1 The old copies read: "In night, and on the court and guard of safety." Malone made the necessary transposition. 2 Affined is "bound by proximity of relationship;" but here it means "related by nearness of office." "And Cassio following him with determined sword." Oth. I know, lago, Thy honesty and love doth mince this matter, Making it light to Cassio.-Cassio, I love thee; Enter DESDEMONA, attended. Look, if my gentle love be not raised up;— I'll make thee an example. Des. What's the matter, dear? Oth. All's well now, sweeting; come away to bed. Sir, for your hurts, Myself will be your surgeon ;-Lead him off.1 [To MONTANO, who is led off. Iago, look with care about the town; And silence those whom this vile brawl distracted.— Come, Desdemona; 'tis the soldiers' life, To have their balmy slumbers waked with strife. [Exeunt all but IAGO and CASSIO. Iago. What, are you hurt, lieutenant ? Cas. Ay, past all surgery. Iago. Marry, Heaven forbid ! Cas. Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part, sir, of myself, and what remains is bestial.-My reputation, Iago, my reputation. Iago. As I am an honest man, I thought you had received some bodily wound; there is more offence in that, than in reputation. Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deserving. You have lost no reputation at all, unless you repute yourself such a loser. What, man! there are ways to recover the general again. You are but now cast in his mood, a punishment more in policy than in malice; even so as one would beat his 1 Malone thinks that the words "Lead him off" were originally a marginal stage direction, as it was common to express them in imperative terms: Play music.-Ring the bell.-Lead him off," &c. 2 Thrown off, dismissed in his anger. offenceless dog, to affright an imperious lion. Sue to him again, and he's yours. Cas. I will rather sue to be despised, than to deceive so good a commander, with so slight, so drunken, and so indiscreet an officer. Drunk? and speak parrot?1 and squabble? swagger? swear? and discourse fustian with one's own shadow?-O thou invisible spirit of wine, if thou hast no name to be known by, let us call thee-devil! Iago. What was he that you followed with your sword? What had he done to you? Cas. I know not. Cas. I remember a mass of things, but nothing distinctly; a quarrel, but nothing wherefore.-O that men should put an enemy in their mouths, to steal ✦ away their brains! that we should, with joy, revel, pleasure, and applause, transform ourselves into beasts! Iago. Why, but you are now well enough. How came you thus recovered? Cas. It hath pleased the devil, drunkenness, to give place to the devil, wrath; one unperfectness shows me another, to make me frankly despise myself. Iago. Come, you are too severe a moraler. As the time, the place, and the condition of this country stands, I could heartily wish this had not befallen; but, since it is as it is, mend it for your own good. Cas. I will ask him for my place again; he shall tell me I am a drunkard! Had I as many mouths as Hydra, such an answer would stop them all. To be now a sensible man, by and by a fool, and presently a beast! O, strange!-Every inordinate cup is unblessed, and the ingredient is a devil. Iago. Come, come, good wine is a familiar good creature, if it be well used; exclaim no more against it. And, good lieutenant, I think, you think I love you. Cas. I have well approved it, sir.—I drunk ! 1 i. e. talk idly, utter all you know. From Drunk, &c. to shadow, inclusively, is wanting in the quarto 1622. Iago. You, or any man living, may be drunk at some time, man. I'll tell you what you shall do. Our general's wife is now the general;—I may say so in this respect, for that he hath devoted and given up himself to the contemplation, mark, and denotement1 of her parts and graces :-Confess yourself freely to her; importune her; she'll help to put you in your place again; she is of so free, so kind, so apt, so blessed a disposition, that she holds it a vice in her goodness, not to do more than she is requested. This broken joint2 between you and her husband, entreat her to splinter; and, my fortunes against any lay3 worth naming, this crack of your love shall grow stronger than it was before. Cas. You advise me well. Iago. I protest, in the sincerity of love, and honest kindness. Cas. I think it freely; and betimes in the morning, I will beseech the virtuous Desdemona to undertake for me. I am desperate of my fortunes, if they check me here. Iago. You are in the right. Good night, lieutenant; I must to the watch. Cas. Good night, honest Iago. [Exit CASSIO. Iago. And what's he, then, that says,-I play the villain? 4 When this advice is free, I give, and honest, 5 In any honest suit; she's framed as fruitful 6 To win the Moor,-were't to renounce his baptism, 1 The old copies read devotement. Theobald made the correction. 2 Thus the folio. The quarto 1622 reads, this brawl. 3 Bet or wager. 4 i. e. liberal; such as honest openness or frank good will would give. There may be such a contraction of the word probable as that in the next line, but it has not yet been met with elsewhere. 5 Inclining here signifies compliant. 6 Bountiful as the elements, out of which all things were produced. |